Draft-rigging.



U. U- M E111-YY DRAFT BIGGING.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 21, 1909.

Patented May 13, 1913.

a 3 3.1,4 o" L 1 1 ibvvllllvllllnll..flllllnilvlllae UNITED STATES IATENT OFFICE.'

GEORGE C. MURRAY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO CONTINENTAL RAILWAY EQUIPMENT COMPANY, OF WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, A CORPORATION OF DELA- WARE.

DRAFT-RIGGIN G.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 13, 1913.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, Gauner. C. MURRAY, a citizen of the United States, resdin at Chicago, in the county of Cook and tate of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Draft-Rigging, of which the following is a specification. t

The object of my invention is to provide an improved shock absorber, and more p articularly adapted for use as a draft rigging for railway cars, but also applicable to other mechanisms in which the gradual absorption of slioclcs is necessary or desirable.

One aspect of the invention disclosed herein is broadly claimed in my Patent No. 927,810, namely, the use of co-actlng combined surfaces of different inclinations at different points, with an intervening pressure transmittin roller.

Stated genera y one of the urposes of my invention, as described in t is application and m atent referred to, is to apply the force o tllie blow or shock to the spring or other yielding element with progressively decreasing advantage, and to provide mechanism of such form that the rate of decrease may be varied at will by altering the conformation of the inclined surfaces referred to above. At the initiation of the blow or shock, almost the entire force, yor a large component thereof, may be transmitted o the spring or other yielding element, and as the force continues to act the component thereof, acting to compress the spring or yielding resistance element, may be decreased at any rate desired according to the conformation of the surfaces of certain coacting parts, while the remainder of said force will cause compression and friction between the elements of the mechanism, and thus be absorbed.

My invention in one aspect may be considered as involving the use of wedges or inclined planes of varying inclination, .with an intervening pressure transmitting member, which preferably takes the form of a roller, though in some cases a pressure transniittin member of other form ma, be employe( While the variably incline( wedges referred to are preferably formed with surfaces having a continuous curvature, my invention may in some instances be a plied by the use of wedges of other form. n any event, the mechanism progressivel decreases tlie component of the applie force acting upon the spring or other yielding member, and increases the component absorbed in compression and friction, the ultimate effect being equivalent to an increase in the resistance acting in opposition to that force. Otherwise stated, the ratio of compression of the yielding resistance element to the distance through which the applied force acts progressively increases during the action of the force,-that is, the resistance is accelerated.

The objects and nature of my invention will more clearly appear from the following description and accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a horizontal sectional view through one form of draft rigging embodying my invention, the parts being 1n normal position. Fig. 2 is a View corresponding to Fig. 1, showing the parts in the position assumed under a butiing strain. Fig. 3 is a transverse section, taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1. Fi 4 is a fragmentary pers ctive view off7 a detail showing part of a -shaped member. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a. thrust member.

The mechanism illustrated in the drawings is so designed as to operate in accordance with the general principle above set forth, but said mechanism may be considerablv modified without departing from the mode of application of said principle embodied in this specific mechanism.

The usual draft sills 1 are provided upon their inner faces with outer stops 2 and inner stops 3, the latter being formed by the ends of cheek plates 4, which are riveted to the draft sills. Mounted between the draft sills, und supported therefrom, is un open-ended rectangular casing o, provided at its ends with flanges (i, which act as stops to limit the movement thereof. Movable between the ends of the casing 5 and the outer stops 2 are followers 7 und 8. The front follower 7 is formed with an inwardly projecting wedge-shaped extension il, which forms a longitudinal thrust member having oppositely disposed inclined surfaces or thrust elements 10. Extending across the casing 6 is a bridge 11, preferably formed integral therewith. The bridge 'llv constitutes a fixed abutment and friction member. Intermediate thrust members abut against said bridge and are pro vided with inclined surfaces which eo i it".

act with the inclined surfaces or thrust elements 10 of the thrust `member 9. On their outer sides, the thrust members 12 are formed with concave surfaces, which,

through rollers 13, co-act with similarly conl caved surfaces or thrust elements upon the inner sides ofthe ends ofA a U-sha edI member 14,'which extends around the ridge 11. A draft spring or other resilient element 15 is located between the loop of the U-shaped member 14 and t-he'brid e 11. The thrust members 12.are :provide with projections 41 adapted to enter a ertures 40 in the U-sha-pedmembers -14 w ien themembers 12 are spreada art as shown in Fig. 2. The purpose of t ie projections 41 is to afford support for the rollers 13 when the parts are shown in Fi 1, and the apertures 4() permit the mem ers 12 to spread as shown in Fi 2. A coupler 10, draw-bar 20, and yo e 18 are shown as a means of transmitting the buflin and pulling strains to the member 7 and t 1e casing 6, respectively. In the present instance a follower 8 is shown intervening between the inner end of the yoke 18 andthe rear ed e of the casing 6. It vwill be `ap arent, owever, that the specific form o these-elements may be altered without departing from the mode of operation' contemplated Y by my invention.

The draft riggin derives its support from the brid es 25, w ich are secured to the lower e ges 'of the draft sills 1. The bridges 25 have upturned ends 26, notched at.27, and retaining .plates 28 lie upon the up er sides of the lower flanges of the channe draft sills and project into thenotcbes 27. Bolts 29, passing through openings-in thel retaining .plates 28, draft sill flanges and bridges 25, hold vthe parts in place. Theizupper side of the brid e 25 is formed with a recess 30.to receive tie yoke 18, and the casing` -rests uponl the-upper surface of the brid es 25 and upon the yoke 18.

It wi be apparent that upon a bufllng strain, the longitudinal thrust member 9 will be moved Iinwardly toward the center of the car to the position illustrated in Fig. 2, thus wedging apart or spreading the thrust members 12. Durin tiis operation the casing 6 and the attache bridge 11 will be held stationary by the inner stops 2. The spreading apart or transverse movement of the thrust members 12 will impart a longitudinal movement to the inner ongltudinal thrust member 14, through the intervening rollers 13. As shown in Fi 1, when in normal position the parts o the concave surfaces of the members 12 which are'opposed to the concave surfaces u on the members' 14 are more nearly paralle to the transverse axis of the draft rigging than the other parts of said surfaces which are brought interplay as-,the movement of'the mechanism progresses. Therefore, at the initiation of the movement under a bulling strain, a smaller component of the longitudinal movement of the draw bar will be communicated to the inner thrust member `14 than at any later stage of the operation. -0therwise.stated, the builing force will act atl thefinitiation of the movement upon the draftsprinfv with greater elicicncy than at the conc usion of the movement. By varying the inclination of the opposed concavesurfaces, any relation desired between the efficiencies of the force at dilferent stages of its action may be secured. Upon a-pullin strain thc action will be similar to that a ove described` except that the outer thrust member 9 will remain stationary and the pull exerted upon the draw bar will move the follower 8, casing 5, and bridge 11 outwardly, thus carrying the intermediate thrust members 12 toward the base of the wedge-shaped thrust member 9. This -will separate the thrust members 12, causing-them to move transversely of the draft rigging and bring about thecompression of the sprmg in the manner above described. f

Vhile I have referred to the member 9 as the outer thrust member, to the parts l2 as intermediate thrust members, and to the member 14 as the inner thrust member, the -relation of these parts might be reversed, and I have used these terms for convenience in the nomenclature of the different elements. Furthermore, the princi )le offmy invention is not dependent upon p acin f the apparatus with its axis in the line of c raft. It will therefore be a )parent that the general relation of the di erent elements which form the essence Aof the invention claimed herein may be preserved, without adhering to the precise arrangement and configuration of the elements described and illustrated.

I claim:-

1. In a device of the class described, a fixed abutment, a draft spring, outer and innerlongitudinal thrust members and intermediate transverse thrust members, said intermediate thrust members being movable independently of each other and both longitudinally and transversely with relation to said outer thrust members, said intermediate thrust members having inclined surfaces coactin with inclined surfaces u on said outer and inner thrust members aiu havin friction surfaces coacting with said fixedabutment, a draw-bar, and means for transmitting bufiing and draft forces from said draw-bar directly to said outer and intermediate thrust members.

2. In a device of the class described, a fixed abutment, a draft spring, outer and inu ner longitudinal thrust members and inllll llf)

tei'mediate transverse thrust member-mallI of said intermediate thrust members ybein movable inde endently of each other and both longitu inally andftransversely' with relation to said outer thrust members, said intermediate thrust members yhavin inclincd surfaces coacting with incline surfaces upon said outer and inner thrust members and having friction surfaces coactin with said fixed abutment a draw-bar, an

means for transmittin b outer and intermediate thrust elements.

3. In a device of the class described an outer longitudinal follower having a wedgeshaped longitudinal thrust member, intermediate thrust members co-acting with said wed @shaped projection, an inner thrust mem er, said intermediate and inner thrustI members having co-acting inclined surfaces convergi'iiy toward their ends, rollers between sai converging surfaces, a casing surrounding said thrust members, a bridge ex-l tending across 'and secured to said casing said bridge forming an abutment for said intermediate thrust members, an extension secured to said inner thrust member and spaced from said brid e, a draft sprin between said bridge an extension,a rawbar, means for transmittin force acting in one direction from said raw-bar to said wedge-shaped thrust member and for transmitting force in the opposite direction from said draw-bar to said casing.

4. In a device of the classdescribed,l"draft sills, stops secured thereto acasing fitted between said draft sills an movable to the extent permitted by said stops, a bridge extending across said casing, intermediate thrust members abuttin against'said bridge, a wedge-sha ed outer t rust member-actin between inclined surfaces on saidintermediate thrust members, an inner thrust member of U-forin and having inclined surfaces at the ends of the arms thereof coacting with inclined surfaces on said intermediate thrust members, said inclined surfaces presenting dilcrent angles to the draft line at different points, rollers between said surfaces, a draft sprir'ij; between said bridge and the loop of tie -form inner thrust member, a drawbar, means for transmitting forces in one direction from said draw-bar to said outer thrust members and for transmitting forces uiting and draft.l forces from said drawar directly to said.'

site saidintermediate t rust members, a rein the other direction from said draw-bar to saidfcasing.

5. `Ina device of the class described, draft sills',`, stops secured thereto, a casing, a

bridge secured to said casing and extending transversely thereof, a draw-bar, an outer y.wedge-shaped longitudinal thrust member,

intermediate thrust members in o erative relation' with said outer thrust mem er and bridge, an inner lon itudinal thrust member havin inclined sur aces operatively related to inc ined surfaces upon vsaid intermediate thrust members and having an .extension s aced fromI said brid e on the side opposilient element between said brid e and extension, means for transinittin oice from said draw-bar to said outer and intermediate thrust members, the co-aeting surfaces between said intermediate and one of said 1onitudinal thrust members being of varying inclination to the draft line, and rollers between said surfaces.

ti. In a device of the classdeseribcd, draft sills, sto s secured thereto, a casing and front an rear followers movable between said stops a bridge secured to said casing and exten ing transversely thereof, a drawbar, a yoke secured to said draw-bar and extending around said followers and casing, an outer longitudinal wedge-shaped thrust member upon said outer follower, interniediete thrust members in operative relation with saidA outer thrust member and bridge, an inner U-sha ed longitudinal thrust member having inc ined surfaces operatively related to inclined surfaces upon said intermediate thrust members, tlie loop of said U-shaped inner thrust member being spaced from said bridge on the side opposite said intermediate thrust elements, a resilient element between said brid e and loo means for transmitting force rom said draw-bar to said outer and intermediate thrust meinbers, the co-acting surfaces between said intermediate and one of said longitudinal thrust members being of varyin inclination to the draft line, and a roller getwcen said surfaces.

In testimony whereof, I have subscribed my name.

GEORGE C. MURRAY.

Witnesses:

WAm'iin A. Scoi'r, Hanni' A. Paints.

Copies ot this patent may be obtained for ave im each, by addressing the Commissioner of ratents,

` Washington, D. 0. 

